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The creators of the most watched and talked-about ad content in the political/cultural sphere, THE LINCOLN PROJECT, and co-founder/host Rick Wilson, have a reputation for saying the things others are afraid to say.

Headed up by LP's notorious creative team, THE LINCOLN PROJECT podcast features a range of special guests, from leading political minds to the hottest pop-culture icons. Broadening the subject matter beyond politics and making the conversation more relatable to everyone, The Lincoln Project podcast’s mission is to reignite the political flame in every American and break down the biggest topics of yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
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The Decency Era is Over

The Decency Era is Over

2026-01-2001:20:59

This week’s double-header episode confronts America’s moral crisis from two sides of the same coin: what happens when leadership becomes corrupt and power-hungry—and what it looks like when leaders choose decency instead. First, journalist Mary Clare Jalonick joins Rick to break down her urgent new book Storm at the Capitol, a chilling account of how ambition, radicalization, and moral cowardice led to January 6 and exposed what happens when power is severed from principle. Then, veteran political voice Chris Matthews offers a stark counterpoint with Letters from Bobby, drawing on Robert F. Kennedy’s words to remind us that leadership is a moral act rooted in restraint, empathy, and responsibility. This conversation couldn’t be more timely as ICE violence and aggressive enforcement tactics come to a head across the country, putting into sharp relief the real-world consequences of unchecked power and moral collapse. One episode. Two books. One unavoidable truth: democracy doesn’t fail all at once—it fails when leaders abandon decency first.•••••You can find Mary Clare Jalonick @MCJalonick on X, and you can stay up to date with her congressional reporting at the AP. Also, her new book, 'Storm at the Capitol: An Oral History of January 6th,' is available now, wherever fine books are sold. Chris Matthews is on X @HardballChris, and you can check out his Substack at thechrismatthews.substack.com. His new book, 'Lessons from Bobby: Ten Reasons Robert F. Kennedy Still Matters,' is available now, wherever fine books are sold. Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln. Visit www.growtherapy.com/lincolnproject to find out how you could get started with a therapist that works with you. #ad Go to www.webroot.com/lincolnproject for up to 60% off. #ad 
Texas is breaking at the seams—divided, bitter, and locked in a political cage match that’s left ordinary Texans stuck in the middle. For decades, the state has been painted bright red, but now the cracks are showing, and a fresh wave of underdog organizers and voters is daring to repaint the map purple. From the San Antonio Spurs to street culture, from BBQ pits to the Capitol floor, Texas' fresh politics is colliding with an old guard terrified of losing power—on fights over voting rights, gerrymandering, abortion bans, gun violence, border and immigration, book bans, school vouchers, property taxes, and the ERCOT power grid. In this episode, James Talarico joins Rick Wilson for a hard look at a changing Purple Texas—how Gen Z, Latino voters, suburban women, and independents are shifting the map; why MAGA extremism and corrupt politicians (like Ken Paxton) keep stoking culture wars; and how fresh leadership can take power back for the people and revive democracy in the Lone Star State.•••••You can find James Talarico @jamestalarico on social media, and keep up with his campaign at jamestalarico.com.Follow Rick Wilson at @TheRickWilson on X and @therickwilson.bsky.social on Bluesky, and subscribe to his Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. Join the fight with the Lincoln Project at www.lincolnproject.us and follow LP on X at @ProjectLincoln. If you'd like to help us continue our critical work, visit https://action.lincolnproject.us/helplp to make a difference.Visit expressvpn.com/lincolnproject for an exclusive offer. #ad
Coming off last week’s examination of the killing of Renee Nicole Good, Rick lays out how the United States is sliding into an American police state—one powered by ICE intimidation, fear-based propaganda, and a rapidly expanding government surveillance apparatus. Rick breaks down how ICE relies on spectacle, misinformation, and selective enforcement to force citizen compliance, while the Trump-era state deploys AI surveillance and facial recognition, license plate readers, and Flock Safety cameras to monitor Americans in ways that openly undermine the Constitution, the Fourth Amendment, and basic civil liberties. This isn’t about public safety—it’s about control. This isn't a flaw, it's a feature. It's no longer about equal protection under the law, but about protecting power, punishing dissent, and enforcing political obedience. When agencies like ICE are shielded from accountability while technology is used to surveil citizens instead of defend their rights, justice stops being blind and starts taking orders.For best practices on dealing with ICE, this week's episode of The Breakdown features our legal counsel, Mario Nicolais, and is also worth a watch. https://youtube.com/live/eRihj_qXUYw•••••Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln. Visit www.bollandbranch.com/lincoln for 15% off your first order + free shipping. #adGo to www.ethos.com/lincolnproject to see how you could protect your family with life insurance with a free quote in under ten minutes. #ad Check out www.werobot.com/lincolnproject for 60% off. #ad 
Donald Trump didn’t speak for the working class—he played it. In this episode, Rick Wilson sits down with Dropkick Murphys frontman Ken Casey to unpack how Trump’s brand of fake populism conned millions of working Americans while delivering power, tax cuts, and protection to billionaires and authoritarians. Rick and Ken break down how grievance replaced policy, how MAGA culture turned resentment into a loyalty test, and why the people waving the biggest flags ended up getting sold out first. Then they flip the script: punk rock as an early warning system, a working-class truth teller, and a loud, unapologetic form of resistance to fascism, cult politics, and manufactured outrage. This isn’t about music nostalgia—it’s about class consciousness, propaganda, and why real resistance has never come from strongmen at the top, but from people willing to call bullsh*t, turn up the volume, and refuse to be fooled again.•••••You can find Ken Casey at dropkickmurphys.com. Check out their website for tour information and details on their upcoming album! Their updated song "Citizen ICE" is out now.Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln. Visit www.quince.com/lincoln for free shipping & 365-day returns. #ad Go to www.expressvpn.com/lincolnproject to learn more about how you could get up to 4 extra months. #ad
This week, we confront MAGA’s escalating performative cruelty following the killing of Renee Good in Minneapolis — a woman shot and killed by an ICE officer and then posthumously smeared as a “domestic terrorist” to justify the violence. As facts emerged, the Trump movement did what it always does: lied, dehumanized, and closed ranks around power. JD Vance went even further, effectively arguing for blanket immunity for federal agents, treating U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as an untouchable arm of the state — Trump’s modern secret police. This episode breaks down how authoritarian movements manufacture enemies, why disinformation follows state violence every time, and how Donald Trump’s political culture rewards cruelty over truth. This isn’t about law and order — it’s about power without accountability, the erosion of civil liberties, and what it means when a political movement decides some lives are disposable. Say her name: Renee Good.•••••If you'd like to support Renee Good’s wife and son, below is a link to their publicly accessible GoFundMe:https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-renee-goods-wife-and-sonRick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln. 
This weekend, the capture of Nicolás Maduro didn’t close a chapter in Venezuela — it ripped one open. History tells us exactly where this movie goes: swagger first, strategy never. Venezuela isn’t just another “bad guy taken off the board”; it’s an oil-soaked, politically fractured, economically shattered country where outside powers think force can substitute for understanding. That’s how Iraq started. That’s how Vietnam metastasized. And now, under Donald Trump, America is once again flirting with the delusion that you can arrest a dictator, flip a switch, pump the oil, and call it victory. You can’t. You get insurgencies, regional blowback, endless commitments, and a war that exists not because it protects Americans — but because oil, ego, and imperial muscle memory demand it. Welcome to the next forever war, this time in our own hemisphere, where the lessons of the past are ignored, the bill always comes due, and the exit strategy is once again a shrug. • • • • • Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln. 
Giving you an extra special bonus episode of The Lincoln Project podcast, Rick Wilson is joined by special guest Chris Whipple of Vanity Fair, the reporter who just detonated Trumpworld with his explosive reporting on Susie Wiles. Whipple doesn’t just recap the headlines—he reveals new secrets, pulls back the curtain on how power actually operates inside Trump’s inner circle, and explains why Wiles may be the most important—and least understood—figure in modern MAGA politics. As more breaking news unfolds, Rick and Whipple connect the dots between loyalty, control, fear, and the machinery driving Trump’s 2025 operation. If you want to understand who really runs Trumpworld—and why this story keeps getting darker—this is the episode you can’t miss. • • • • • You can find Chris Whipple on X @ccwhip, and on his website https://chriswhipple.com/.  VANITY FAIR PIECE PART 1: https://www.vanityfair.com/news/story/trump-susie-wiles-interview-exclusive-part-1 VANITY FAIR PIECE PART 2: https://www.vanityfair.com/news/story/trump-susie-wiles-interview-exclusive-part-2 Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln. 
As the holiday season hits full throttle and millions of Americans flood airports during record-breaking Christmas travel week, this episode takes a clear-eyed look at what real holiday cheer means in a year dominated by nonstop headlines. From winter storms snarling flights and causing massive travel delays to violence interrupting festive gatherings and global tensions refusing to pause for Christmas, this week's news cycle offered little comfort—or quiet. Breaking down the biggest stories -- from Susie Wiles' Vanity Fair expose to Trump's deranged, coke-fueled speech while he gripped the podium to the close-up photos of Trump's admin -- it's been a week...and Rick will guide you through it all.  Rick Wilson cuts through the noise with sharp humor and grounded perspective, breaking down the biggest stories of the week while reminding us that optimism doesn’t require denial. This is holiday cheer with a backbone—fact-based, reality-tested, and stubbornly alive in the middle of headline fatigue, end-of-year chaos, and a world that refuses to slow down just because it’s Christmas. • • • • • Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln.  #HolidaySeason #ChristmasCheer #YearEndNews #TopHeadlines #HolidayTravel #WinterStorms #BreakingNews #PoliticalPodcast #RickWilson #LincolnProject
Rick Wilson is joined by Scott Galloway—NYU professor, bestselling author, and unapologetic truth-teller—to talk about lonely young men, collapsing purpose, and a culture pretending the crisis isn’t real. Drawing from Scott’s newest book, ‘Notes on Being a Man,’ they cut through culture-war bullsh*t to explain how isolation, economic pressure, and algorithm-fed rage are pushing men toward the worst possible answers. This isn’t grievance politics—it’s a blunt conversation about reality, responsibility, different strengths, and what happens when society ignores the meteor until impact. • • • • • You can find Scott Galloway @profgalloway.com on Bluesky and @profgalloway on Instagram. His new book, ‘Notes on Being a Man,’ is available now, wherever fine books are sold.  Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln.  Go to https://ground.news/TLP for a better way to stay informed. Subscribe for 40% off the Vantage plan for unlimited access to world wide news coverage through our link. #ad  Enter code ‘LINCOLNPROJECT’ for 20% off at takelean.com. #ad 
In this blistering episode, Rick Wilson breaks down why MAGA absolutely sees the future coming — and is reacting like a herd of political dinosaurs staring straight at the meteor and insisting it’s a hoax. With Trump's historically unpopular presidency (at a 36% approval rating), the desperate need for "affordability" (hitting the MAGA base the hardest), the movement shrinking, and GOP leaders screaming into the void, MAGA is pretending the shaking ground and the bright light in the sky are just “deep state weather balloons.” Rick lays out how the economic reality, unmistakable corruption, shifting demographics, and sheer exhaustion among voters are accelerating MAGA’s extinction — and why their refusal to adapt only speeds up the impact. This is a sharp, snark-filled autopsy of a movement so trapped in denial that they’re actively choosing meteor impact over evolution. Buckle up: the asteroid is coming, and Rick brought the popcorn. • • • • • Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln. Go to Superpower.com to decode, track and take control of your health with Superpower. Go to Superpower.com/gift to receive a free $49 premium gift box with your gifted membership. #ad
Strap in: Rick Wilson is joined by Carol Leonnig and Aaron Davis, who just detonated the political world with their blockbuster book Injustice. It’s the ultimate tell-all on DOJ dysfunction, politically motivated indictments, the Trump-era push to weaponize federal law enforcement, and the internal rebellion of career DOJ officials trying to stop an authoritarian slide. Rick, Carol, and Aaron break down everything from the classified documents scandal to the war on independent prosecutors, the assault on election integrity, and the rise of unchecked executive power. If you care about the future of American democracy, the rule of law, and the escalating 2025 political crisis, this episode brings the receipts—loudly. • • • • • You can find Carol Leonnig @CarolLeonnig on X, and Aaron Davis @byaaroncdavis on X. Their bestselling book ‘INJUSTICE: How Politics and Fear Vanquished America’s Justice Department’ is out now, wherever fine books are sold.  Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln.  Go to Quince.com/LINCOLN for free shipping and 365-day returns. #ad
In this explosive episode of The Elephant in the Room, Rick Wilson breaks down the stunning new reporting that Jared Kushner and real estate billionaire Steve Witkoff held a secret meeting with Vladimir Putin in Moscow earlier this week (as of 12/4/25). Rick analyzes why two American power brokers advising Russia’s authoritarian leader is raising alarms across the national security, intelligence, and foreign policy communities, and why experts are calling the covert conversation a potential act of treason, foreign interference, and backchannel diplomacy gone rogue. From Kushner’s long-documented ties to Russian oligarchs, to Witkoff’s sudden emergence as a Kremlin-friendly intermediary, Rick lays out what investigators are already probing, what the White House is terrified you’ll learn next, and how this clandestine meeting could reshape the landscape of U.S.–Russia relations, election interference, and the ongoing debate over whether Trump’s inner circle ever truly stopped colluding with Moscow. As Rick puts it: When Americans fly to Moscow to “advise” Putin, it’s not diplomacy—it’s danger. Buckle up for the episode blowing the lid off the Witkoff-Kushner-Putin scandal. • • • • • Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us
In this scorching episode, Rick Wilson and former DOJ titan Andrew Weissmann expose how America’s so-called “law and order” system is being hijacked in real time. From the Supreme Court’s shockingly unified pushback on Trump’s tariff overreach to the DOJ’s clown-show prosecutions and selective-vendetta cases, they break down how abuse of power has become official government policy. With food aid on the chopping block, courts dodging accountability, and legal norms collapsing at warp speed, Rick and Andrew show just how fragile the rule of law is—and what happens when the Justice Department becomes a blunt-force political weapon. • • • • • You can find Andrew Weissmann @AWeissmann_ on X, and check out his podcasts “Prosecuting Donald Trump” and “Main Justice” wherever you listen! Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln. 
Rick Wilson breaks down the political firestorm ignited by the viral military veterans ad, reminding Americans—and the armed forces—never to obey illegal orders. This ad (and Trump's subsequent meltdown) is Rick's Elephant in the Room this week. The veterans-PSA ad featuring Elissa Slotkin (Senator and former intelligence officer), Mark Kelly (Senator and former Navy pilot), Jason Crow (Representative and Army veteran), Chris Deluzio (Representative and Navy veteran), Chrissy Houlahan (Representative and Air Force veteran), and Maggie Goodlander (Representative and Air Force veteran) urged U.S. service members to refuse illegal orders. The message was standard constitutional duty; the fallout was anything but. Within hours, Donald Trump detonated across social media, calling the ad “treason,” attacking veterans, and confirming—accidentally—exactly why the video mattered. Rick walks through everything that unfolded afterward: the furious MAGA messaging spiral, the stunned reaction inside the Pentagon, the immediate backlash from veterans’ organizations nationwide, and the growing panic among House Republicans suddenly asked whether they’d support Trump’s demand for total obedience. Rick unpacks the escalating tension, the legal implications of Trump’s statements, and why this episode may mark a turning point in the 2026 national security and rule-of-law debate. Buckle up—this one touched every live wire in American politics. • • • • • Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln.  To get simple, online access to personalized, affordable care for ED, Hair Loss, Weight Loss, and more, visit Hims.com/LincolnProject for your free online visit. #ad  Visit ExpressVPN.com/LincolnProject to find out how you can get up to 4 extra months as a Lincoln Project Podcast listener. #ad
This week on The Lincoln Project Podcast, Rick Wilson sits down with investigative reporter Tara Palmeri (The Tara Palmeri Show, The Red Letter) for a brutal, no-BS breakdown of the new Jeffrey Epstein emails naming Donald Trump, what they reveal about his long-denied ties to the Epstein sex trafficking network, and why Republicans in Congress are suddenly cracking over the push to release the full Epstein files. Tara walks through how Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, Trump, billionaire bankers, modeling agencies, and elite power brokers all intersect, why survivors see these emails as a “smoking gun,” and how the DOJ, House GOP, and Trump White House tried to spin the scandal as a hoax. With sharp analysis, dark humor, and a relentless focus on the victims of sex trafficking, Rick and Tara unpack the corruption, the cover-ups, the banks, the lawyers, the media enablers, and what could happen next if ALL of the reasonably redacted Epstein documents, emails, and flight-log details finally come to light. • • • • • You can find Tara Palmeri @tarapalmeri on X, on her podcast ‘The Tara Palmeri Show,’ and on her Substack, ‘The Red Letter,’ at www.tarapalmeri.com. Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln. 
For this week's Elephant in the Room, Rick Wilson dives headfirst into the bombshell trove of newly unearthed emails—yes, the ones dragged straight from the digital grave—linking Donald Trump to the Epstein network in ways that blow apart every denial he’s peddled for years. These aren’t rumors, whispers, or gossip; these are receipts from the beyond, pulled out of long-buried archives investigators never expected to see daylight again. Rick breaks down what the emails reveal, why Trumpworld is in full panic mode, how these posthumous secrets reshape the Epstein timeline, and what this means for Trump’s optics heading into 2026. With sharp analysis, dark humor, and absolutely zero patience for MAGA excuses, this episode unpacks the grave, cold truth now haunting Trump’s orbit. Buckle up—the dead are talking, and they have the receipts. • • • • • Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln.  Visit www.quince.com/lincoln for free shipping and 365 day returns. #ad 
Rick Wilson sits down with former Congressman Adam Kinzinger, star of The Last Republican and founder of Country First, for a blistering look at what may be Donald Trump’s worst week yet. From the Supreme Court’s tariff showdown and GOP election losses to Trump’s tone-deaf Great Gatsby party at Mar-a-Lago, Kinzinger and Wilson rip into the chaos with trademark dark humor and political fire. They break down Trump’s economic disaster, his narcissism, and how he’s turned the Republican Party into a cult of fear—run by Tucker Carlson, Laura Loomer, and Nick Fuentes. Kinzinger explains why he thinks Trump won’t run in 2028, how neo-Nazis and conspiracy theorists hijacked the movement, and what it will take for Democrats to win in 2026 by focusing on affordability, corruption, and the economy instead of endless culture wars. With hits on Jack Smith’s investigation, AI chips to China, and the collapse of the conservative establishment, this episode is a sharp, darkly funny autopsy of a party—and a democracy—on the brink. • • • • • You can find Adam Kinzinger on X @AdamKinzinger, on his Substack at adamkinzinger.substack.com, & in the documentary ‘The Last Republican,’ streaming now. Also, check out his organization Country First, at country1st.com. Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln.  Go to bollandbranch.com/lincoln and use code ‘LINCOLN’ for 25% off + free shipping. #ad
For Trump, empathy is like one of his contractors — it never gets paid. Rick explores how Trump’s austerity policies, SNAP cuts, and Medicare rollbacks crushed millions while he partied with billionaires. The 2025 Democratic election surge wasn’t luck — it was justice. • • • • • Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln. 
The 2025 elections aren’t just mid-cycle noise — they’re the dress rehearsal for 2026. In a very special election episode, Rick Wilson walks you through the field with his trademark mix of snark and strategic clarity: from the knife-fight in New York, the gubernatorial brawl in New Jersey, and Virginia’s bellwether races, to the California Prop-50 slugfest and the Pennsylvania Supreme Court showdown that could tilt national law for a generation. Every one of these contests is a test run for what the GOP and MAGA movement plan to unleash next year — and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Inside the movement, the fractures are widening. Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens, and Nick Fuentes are spinning off from Trump’s orbit, building rival cults of personality and turning MAGA into a circular firing squad. The “unified” right is now a live grenade rolling around its own tent. And out in the field? Keep your eyes open. Masked thugs and fake “poll watchers” are already showing up at polling places — a trial balloon for voter intimidation and a warning of what 2026 may look like if the guardrails come off. Finally, Rick reflects on the death of Dick Cheney, the last grand strategist of the Republican old guard — a man who built the machine that Trump’s chaos now threatens to burn to the ground. His passing isn’t just news; it’s the symbolic end of an era. It's a special day today, and whatever happens, the lessons we learn today will ready us for 2026. • • • • • Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln
AI: The New Nuclear Option

AI: The New Nuclear Option

2025-11-0401:00:28

Rick Wilson sits down with Nate Soares — executive director of the Machine Intelligence Research Institute and co-author (with Eliezer Yudkowsky) of the New York Times bestseller IF ANYONE BUILDS IT, EVERYONE DIES — for a brutally funny, deeply unnerving tour of how humanity might code itself into extinction. Together, they shred the techno-utopian hype and lay bare the reality of Artificial General Intelligence: machines that learn faster than their makers, billionaires racing to build digital gods, and governments regulating it like it’s a new brand of toaster. Rick brings his trademark fire, skewering the Silicon Valley messiahs who think “alignment” is just a yoga pose, while Nate breaks down how emergent behavior, greed, and hubris could make “innovation” our final act. Buckle up — it’s the smartest, darkest conversation you’ll ever laugh through. • • • • • You can find Nate Soares @So8res on X, and check out ifanyonebuildsit.com for information on his new book.  Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln.  To get simple, online access to personalized, affordable care for ED, Hair Loss, Weight Loss, and more, visit Hims.com/LincolnProject for your free online visit.
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Comments (70)

Lana Babiuk-Larocque

Absolutely 💯 inspired! My first time ever listening to this podcast and I am sure I picked THE BEST and truly felt the message on rebuilding the White House 🐘....also horrified on the renos....cheers from Canada 🇨🇦

Oct 24th
Reply

Michael Brodie

A brilliant interview/lecture

Jun 7th
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Teresa Wilkinson

the rest of the world finds America's flags hysterical, by which I mean ludicrous, I wouldn't be surprised to find a flag in a bathroom 🤣😂🤣 but the point EVERY American misses is how much those flags mirror dictatorship 🤔

Mar 15th
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Tracey Wallace

I think it's really weird that Americans pay homage to the flag. It doesn't happen anywhere else in the world.

Mar 8th
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Leslie Darrah

Good podcast, as always. I wanted to know the name of the guest you had on who said, "Wealth is not how much you make, wealth is how much you save," and the title of his book. I know someone who would benefit from it. Thank you!

Sep 15th
Reply

Jonathan Vedamuthu

Hardboiled expert commentary on politics coming from a jaded campaign professional.

Aug 8th
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Lisa Bailey

Thank you, Joe! You are 100% the best. You have left America in great hands. Thank you for all you given to our Country and family. WWE will MISS you!

Jul 21st
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Pele Googled

aquarius 1an is aaq. ⁷ķķķ

Nov 28th
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Sam Hashemi

All you people at LP are super dumb and extremely nasty ! Shame on you for spreading fake news

May 14th
Reply (2)

JET MEERKAT

The Republican Party are all about a single-minded, intensely focused mission to "deliver the goods" for their supporters, irrespective of whatever has to be done & without any regard to rules or the constraints of a moral code. The Democratic Party are weak, spineless, flaccid & shackled to "acceptable norms" & "doing the right thing". The struggle for the future of the USA is a distressingly uneven battle!

Dec 29th
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Silvia Lang-Griffes

5 STARS + 🙏

Dec 24th
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Pam Corbishley

Thank you! Why hasn't anyone else been asking questions about the secret service!?

Oct 14th
Reply (2)

Michele Molina

It satisfies me so much to hear the CNN thing. It literally ran in our house for 8-10 hours a day and sometimes all night if my husband didn't turn off the TV. Now that I've banned it, they'll have to find multiple viewers to cover that time span. Good, because I'm sick of listening to Mick "the pocket-holder" Mulvaney justify being a traitor, and I'm pissed about Brian Stelter being fired. So, MSNBC and the BBC get our business now.

Aug 27th
Reply (1)

AH

Can we stop with the overuse of the word "unprecedented"?

Aug 12th
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AH

Great discussion.

Jun 22nd
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Anh Pham

can we please have more episodes like this?

Jun 4th
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Gerry Massey

great podcast.

Apr 17th
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Julie Grey

excellent! Thank you, I'm signed up!

Jan 15th
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Lindsey Helfrey Scott

Steve making me cry .. 'One of the depressing realizations that I've come to realize is maybe we shouldn't be surprised by cowardice. We should only be surprised by courage.'

Dec 19th
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Leslie Pascaud

Agree with so much of your analysis. But Rick, not on board with the POV that we should be gerrymandering in NY because Republicans are doing it everywhere else. Gerrymandering is anti democratic. There’s got to be another way!

Dec 12th
Reply